NJPW – G1 Climax 28 – Day 1 – July 14th, 2018

The G1 Climax is here and this first show is hailing for Ota Ward Integrated Gymnasium and we have Kevin Kelly, Don Callis and Rocky Romero on English Commentary with regular translator Gengo. This show is available on njpwworld and is only the start of a 18 day tournament that culminates on Day 19.

We kick off the show with an awesome video package of previous winners and wrestlers in this year’s competition. Really good package. We kick of the show with a tag match.

Henare & Narita vs Hirooki Goto & Jado

Jado is returning after an injury and kicks off against Henare. Jado looks good until Henare starts the headbutts. Both Henare and Narita get some good offence in here and Narita even got a good false finish on Goto with a rollup but Hirooki Goto hits Narita moments later with his finisher for the win. Winners Hirooki Goto and Jado.

Yano & YOH vs Ishii & SHO

SHO starts of with YOH after Yano wouldn’t start so Ishii wouldn’t start. This match was lots of the partners facing off as SHO is usually teaming with YOH and YANO usually teams with Ishii. Yano tries not to break rules but just can’t help himself but it doesn’t really play into anything as in the end Ishii pins YOH using a brainbuster after a barrage of double team moves. Winners, Ishii & SHO.

David Finlay & Juice Robinson vs Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa

This was a strong showing for Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa and Tama vs Juice was teased in the tournament and a possible championship match in the future. In the end Tama Tonga hit a Gun stun on Finlay when he jumped off the ropes and Tama reversed whatever Finlay was going for. Winners Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa.

Zack Sabre Jr & Taka Michinoku vs Kota Ibushi & Yujiro Takahashi

Zack and Taka Michinoku came out first and Taka did his usual stick on the mic, finishing with “he is submission master, he is ZSJ, He is Zack Sabre Jr.” This match had some good Ibushi spots and he looked good for a brief while but it ended quickly when Zack Sabre Jr hits Yujiro with a Michinoku Driver. This match was shorter than I would of expected. After the match Taka claims the move is called the Zack Driver and Zack said he’s got bored of being the most technical wrestler in the world and he’s going to do everything. Winners Zack Sabre Jr & Taka Michinoku.

Naito & Sanada vs Kenny Omega & Chase Owens

The thread in this match was that Kenny made a comment in an interview saying Japanese Wrestlers don’t work as hard as foreign wrestlers and this angered Naito. Kenny and Naito fought for most of the match and it’s was pushed that they will main event on tomorrow’s show. In the end Sanada hooked the Skull End in on Chase Owens and he had no choice but to tap out. Naito held Kenny down while this happened and held Kenny’s eye open so he could see Chase tap.

G1 Climax 28 Kicks Off

YOSHI-HASHI vs Togi Makabe

These two seem to know they are against all odds to not have one of the worst matches of the tournament. Not that they are bad or this match will be bad but a very high percentage of the matches this year look so good that they need to go all out here. They start with heavy strikes and beat on each other for a while, occasionally hitting a suplex or two. YOSHI-HASHI tries his submission but Makabe got out and YOSHI-HASHI hits a headhunter from the top but Makabe kicks out. Togi Makabe eventually fights back and gets YOSHI-HASHI on the top of the corner, climbs up and hits the spider German suplex(Makabe holds on with his legs) then hits a splash for the win. Winner with 2 points Togi Makabe.

Bad Luck Fale vs Hangman Page

Bad Luck Fale comes out first and for once, doesn’t attack the ring announcer but does attack Hangman Page when Page makes his entrance. This quickly turns into a brawl when Hangman Page makes a comeback and dives on Fale, they fight outside the ring and Fale ends up throwing a Hangman deep into the crowd. Page still hasn’t got his ring jacket off but it’s already in trouble. As Hangman Page gets an upper hand, he slowly takes his ring jacket off. Page looks to the ramp watching as Tonga Loa walks slowly to the ring. Page puts on a really good showing here until Tama Tonga runs down and both him and Tonga Loa get in the ring and jump Hangman Page giving the match to Page but they continue beat down Hangman, getting the Page’s rope and putting it around Hangmans neck. Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi and Chase Owens came down to save Page. Winner by disqualification and gaining 2 points, Hangman Page.

EVIL vs Michael Elgin

Michael Elgin gets the upper hand early until they fight to the outside and Elgin goes for a clothesline on EVIL who was back against the ring post and EVIL moves. EVIL gets Elgin’s hand in a chair and hits it off the ring post and Rocky Romero says “I think Elgin might have been Juice Robinsoned”, playing off Robinson’s broken hand. Elgin does eventually fight back while still playing up the hand occasionally. EVIL continues to target the arm of Elgin but big Mike keeps fighting. Elgin hits a huge clothesline with his bad arm then hits a superplex from the top rope for a two count but after two big powerbombs, Michael Elgin pins EVIL. Winner with 2 points, Michael Elgin.

Minoru Suzuki vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

Minoru Suzuki comes out first and doesn’t attack Tanahashi during his entrance for once, this seems serious to Suzuki. Suzuki starts off strong with big strikes to the head and body, Tanahashi trys to fight back but Suzuki cuts him off and starts to torture Tanahashi with knee bars, ankle locks and other brutal looking submissions. The crowd cheers when Tanahashi finally gets to the ropes but Suzuki goes back to the strikingwith big forearms. Tanahashi hits a desperation dragon screw legwhip and slowly hitting a slam on Suzuki and goes for a senton but misses. With Tanahashi down Suzuki hits the ropes and comes back with a PK(Penalty Kick) and goes back to the leg. Minoru Suzuki beat up Tanahashi so bad his mouth is bleeding from being hit and slapped but Hiroshi Tanahashi hits another Dragon Screw legwhip that leads to Tanahashi hitting a High-Fly Flow for the win. Winner with 2 points, Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Switchblade Jay White vs Kazuchika Okada

Jay White comes out first and when Okada comes out is hits me again how strange it is to see him like this. He’s dyed his hair, comes running out in a different style, wears different colours and doesn’t have the championship. Okada seems more relaxed like this. The matches starts off a bit slow with headlocks but after a few minutes these two brawl to the outside. Jay is getting good heat in this match, which I’m guessing isn’t hard against Okada. Jay White starts being cocky and kicks Okada in the back which pisses Okada off and he starts beating on Switchblade hard. This goes for a while with Jay White trying everything from a lowblow, steel chair and eventually, to my suprise, hits his finisher for the win. Winner of the match with 2 points, Jay White.

The points how they stand after day 1

Jay White – 2

Hiroshi Tanahashi – 2

Michael Elgin – 2

Hangman Page – 2

Togi Makabe – 2

Okada – 0

Minoru Suzuki – 0

EVIL – 0

Bad Luck Fale – 0

YOSHI-HASHI – 0

That was day 1 of this year’s G1 Climax tournament. All shows are available on njpwworld with a subscription and I will continue with tomorrow’s show. Thanks for reading this and don’t forget to follow this site via Email below. You can also follow me on Twitter@ProWresMatthewor E-mail me at prowresmatt@gmail.com